"She's right," the general said. "If the enemy goes there, the vultures will feast-Trimack will see to that. If they did go northeast up into D'Hara, it would be to flank us. Best to have Reibisch guarding the gate." Richard had another reason to want General Reibisch's army to stay south. "Lord Rahl," the messenger asked, "may I ask a question?" "Of course. What is it?"fussed with the hilt of his short sword. "What's going on in the city? I mean, I saw men hauling carts with dead people, and I saw others going through the streets calling for people to bring out their dead."took a deep breath. "That's the other reason we want General Reibisch to stay down south. The plague is loose in the Midlands. Last night, seven hundred fifty people died."
"The spirits preserve us." Grissom wiped his palms on his hips. "I was afraid it might be something like that."
"I want you to take my reply back to General Reibisch. Having been here, I don't want you to carry the plague to him, too. When you get back, you are to pass my message along verbally.
"Don't approach any of his men, or any people for that matter, any closer than you must in order to be heard. When you get to their sentries, tell them to pass the message on to the general. Tell him that I find his reasoning to be sound. All of the command here agrees with him. Tell him to carry on with his plans and to keep us informed.
"Now that you've been here, you can't return to those men. You'll have to come back here, when you've delivered the message. I want you to take a good-sized patrol with you to make sure you get our instructions through, then all of you come back here."saluted with a fist to his heart. "It shall be as you command, Lord Rahl."
"I wish I could let you return to your men, soldier, but we're trying to keep the plague from getting to the army. We have the soldiers here spread out around the city so they don't come down sick. You can tell them that, too."Kerson scratched his face. "Ah, Lord Rahl, I have to talk to you about that. I just found out myself."frowned at the general's sudden wincing expression. "What is it?" "Ah. well, the plague has gotten to our men."felt his heart in his throat. "Which group?"general wiped a hand across his mouth. "All of them. Lord Rahl. Seems that the prostitutes have been visiting the camps. The women thought it would be safer than plying their trade in the city, what with those murders. I don't know anything about how sickness spreads, but Drefan told me that that might have been the way it happened."squeezed his temples between his thumb and second finger. He wanted to give up. He wanted to simply sit down on the floor and give up.
"I should never have had Tristan Bashkar put to death. I should have let him kill all those women. In the end, it would have saved countless lives. If I'd have known this. I'd have killed them all myself." He felt Kahlan's hand touch his back in sympathy.
"Dear spirits," he whispered. He could think of nothing else to say. "Dear spirits, what are we doing to ourselves? Those women have just unwittingly struck a blow for Jagang."
"Do you want them executed. Lord Rahl?" General Kerson asked. "No," Richard said in a quiet voice. "The deed is done. It would serve no purpose, now. They didn't do it intentionally to cause harm. They were just trying to keep themselves safe."recalled the words of one of the temple team before he was put to death. / can no longer countenance what we do with our gift. We are not the Creator, nor are we the Keeper. Even a vexatious prostitute has the right to live her life.
"Grissom, get a patrol together, and as soon as you've had some food and rest, get my message back to General Reibisch."saluted again. "Yes, Lord Rahl. I'll get some food and supplies and be on my way within the hour." Richard nodded. The messenger took his leave.
"Lord Rahl," the general said, "if there's nothing else, I'd better see to my duties."
"Yes, general, there is one more thing. Cut the sick soldiers out of the camps. Put them in a separate camp. Let's see if we can limit the extent of the outbreak. Who knows, maybe we can even contain it.
"And I don't want any prostitutes in the camps. None. Maybe we can keep the distemper lighter, that way. Have all the women warned to stay away under penalty of death. Post archers with the sentries. If they continue to approach after being challenged, have the archers cut them down."general heaved a sigh. "I understand. Lord Rahl. I'll also separate out the men who have been with those women and have them tend to the sick soldiers." "Good idea."put his arm around Kahlan's waist as he watched the general and his guard hurry to their tasks. "Why didn't I think of that before? I might have kept the plague from the soldiers if only I'd thought of it." Kahlan didn't have an answer.
"Lord Rahl," Cara said, "I'm going up to the sliph to relieve Berdine." "I'll go with you. I want to see if Berdine has learned anything from the journal. Besides, I need to get out of here for a while. You want to go, too?" he asked Kahlan. Her arm tightened around him. 'Id like that."was bent over the journal, reading. The sliph looked Richard's way before Berdine did.
"Do you wish to travel, Master? You will be pleased." "No," Richard said when the echo of the eerie voice had died out. "Thank you, sliph, but not now." Berdine leaned back and yawned as she stretched her arms. "Glad to see you, Cara. I can't stay awake any longer." "You look like you could use some sleep." Richard gestured to the open journal on the table before her. "Anything new?" Berdine glanced to the sliph as she stood. She picked up the journal and turned it around, offering it to him. She leaned closer and lowered her voice. "You remember telling me about what that man said before he was put to death.he said about even a vexatious.. woman having a right to her life?" Richard knew what Berdine was talking about. "Yes. You mean Wizard Ricker." "That's the one. Well, Kolo mentioned it briefly." She tapped a place in the journal. "Read here." Richard studied the sentence a moment until he had it translated in his head.
" 'Ricker's vexatious prostitute is watching me as I sit here pondering what damage the team has done. I heard today that we have lost Lothain. Ricker has had his revenge.»
"Do you know who Lothain is?" Berdine asked. "He was the head prosecutor at the Temple of the Winds trial. He was the one who went to undo the damage done by the team." Richard looked up. The sliph was watching him. He stepped closer. It had never occurred to him before. Why hadn't he thought of it before? "Sliph."
"Yes, Master? You wish to travel? Come. You will be pleased." Richard stepped closer. "No, I don't wish to travel, but I would like to talk to you. Do you remember the time, long ago, when there was a great war going on?" "Long? I am long enough to travel. Tell me where you wish to go. You will be pleased."
"No, I don't mean traveling. Do you remember any names?" "Names?"
"Names. Do you remember the name Ricker?" The silver face watched without expression. "I never betray my clients." "Sliph, you were a person, once, weren't you? A person like me?" The sliph smiled. "No."laid a hand on Kahlan's shoulder. "A person like this?" The silver smile widened. "Yes. I was a whore, like her." Kahlan cleared her throat. "I think Richard meant to ask if you were a woman, sliph."
"Yes, I was a woman, too." "What was your name?" Richard asked. "Name?" The sliph frowned, as if puzzled. "I am the sliph." "Who made you into the sliph?" "Some of my clients." "Why? Why did they make you into the sliph?"
"Because I never reveal my clients." "Sliph, could you explain that better?"
"Some of the wizards here, in this place, were my clients. The most powerful of them. I was a very exclusive whore, and very expensive. Many of the wizards contended for power. Others tried to use me to displace some of those who were my clients. Some wished to use me for their pleasure, but not the kind of pleasure I offered. I never reveal my clients."
"You mean they would have been pleased if you told them the names of the wizards who visited you, and maybe a little more about those visits."
"Yes. My clients feared these others would use me for this pleasure, and so they made me the sliph."turned away. He raked his fingers back through his hair. Even as they fought the enemy, they fought among themselves. When he finally gathered his wits, he turned back to the beautiful silver face.
"Sliph, those men are all dead now. There is no one alive who knows these men. There are no wizards anymore to vie for power. Could you tell me a little more?"
"They made me, and told me that I would be unable to speak their names as long as they lived. They said that their power would prevent it. If it is true that their spirits have passed from this world, then it will no longer matter and I will be able to speak their names."
"It was this man, Lothain, who was one of your clients, wasn't it? And this other wizard. Ricker, thought he was a hypocrite."
''Lothain. ' The quicksilver face softened as she seemed to test the name. "Wizard Ricker came to me, and said that this man, Lothain. was the head prosecutor, and that he was a vile beast, who would turn on me. He wanted my help to depose Lothain. I refused to name my clients."spoke into the silence. "And Ricker's words proved true. Lothain turned on you. and made you into the sliph so that you couldn't speak out against him."
"Yes. I told Lothain that I did not reveal my clients. I told him that he had no need to fear me speaking. He said that it didn't matter, that I was only a whore, and the world would never miss me. He twisted my arm and hurt me. He used me for his pleasure without my permission. When he finished, he laughed, and then I saw a flash of light in my mind.
"Ricker came to me after, and told me that he would put an end to Lothain, and wizards like him. He wept at the edge of my well, and said he was sorry for what they did to me. He told me that he would put a stop to the way magic destroyed people."
"Were you sad?" Berdine asked. "Was it sad to be made into the sliph?" "They took sadness from me when they made me." "Did they take happiness, too?" Kahlan whispered. "They left me with duty."in this, they had made a mistake. They left some of who the sliph had been so that they could use her. The part they left would submit to anyone with the price required: magic. They had been tripped up by her nature. They used her. but had to guard her, because she would offer herself to anyone-even the enemy-who had the required price.
"Sliph," Richard said, "I'm so sorry that we wizards did this to you. They had no right. I'm so sorry."sliph smiled. "Wizard Ricker told me that if any Master said those words to me, I should tell them these words from him: 'Ward left in. Ward right out. Guard your heart from stone. " "What does that mean?" "He did not explain the words to me."felt sick. Were they going to die because of a three-thousand-year-old fight for power? Perhaps Jagang was right; perhaps magic had no place in the world any longer.turned back to the others.
"Berdine, you need to get some sleep. Raina has to be up early to relieve Cara. She needs to get to bed, too. Set a guard for Kahlan's rooms and then both of you get some rest. I've had enough of this day, too." Richard was in a dead sleep when he awakened to a hand pushing at him. He sat up and rubbed at his eyes, trying to gather his senses in a panic.
"What? What is it?" His voice sounded to him like gravel being poured from a bucket.
"Lord Rahl?" came a tearful voice. "Are you awake?"squinted up at the figure holding a lamp. At first, he couldn't make out who it was.
"Berdine?" He had never seen her in anything but her leather uniform before. She was standing in his room in a white nightdress. Her hair was down. He had never seen Berdine without her hair in the single braid. It was a disorienting sight.swung his legs over the edge of the bed and pulled his pants on in a rush. "Berdine, what is it? What's wrong?"wiped at the tears on her face. "Lord Rahl, please, come." She let out a sob. "Raina is sick."53shut the door as silently as she could after Warren dragged the flailing woman back into the darkness. His hand was clamped just as tightly over her mouth as his web was clamped around her gift. Verna wouldn't have been able to control the woman's magic as well as could Warren. The gift of a wizard was stronger than a sorceress's-even Verna's-gift.lit a small flame above her upturned palm. The woman's eyes widened, and then filled with tears.
"Yes. Janet, it's me, Verna. If you promise not to cry out and betray us, I will have Warren release you."nodded earnestly. Verna gripped her dacra in her other fist, held out of sight, just in case she was wrong. She gave a nod to Warren, signaling him to release the young woman.she was free, Janet flung her arms around Verna's neck. She rejoiced with a soft sob. Warren held up his palm, letting a small flame dance above it so they could see. The tiny room was made of huge blocks of dark stone, as was the rest of the stronghold. Milky water seeped through some of the joints, leaving trails of crusty stains down the walls.
"Oh, Verna," Janet whispered, "you have no idea what a joy it is to see your face."embraced the trembling woman as she wept softly while clutching at Verna's cloak. Verna still had the dacra in her fist, behind Janet's back.eased her away to smile at the tear-stained face. She wiped away some of the tears, and smoothed back Janet's dark locks.kissed her ring finger-an ancient gesture beseeching the Creator's protection. Even though she had been reasonably sure Janet was loyal to the Light. Verna was relieved to see such confirmation.Sister of the Dark was sworn to the Keeper of the Underworld, and would never kiss her ring finger. It was an act that represented a Sister's symbolic betrothal to the Creator.was the one thing that a Sister of the Dark could not do. A Sister of the Dark could not hide her loyalty to her true master, the Keeper, by kissing her ring finger, for kissing that finger would invoke her dark master's wrath.slipped the dacra back up her sleeve as Janet glanced back at Warren. They exchanged smiles.Verna and Warren took in Janet's bizarre garb. She was barefoot. The baggy garment, cinched at the waist with a white cord. covered her from ankles to neck to wrists, but was so sheer that the woman might as well have been naked.a thumb and finger, Verna tugged out some of the diaphanous material. "What in the name of Creation are you doing wearing this?"glanced down at herself. "Jagang makes all his slaves dress like this. After a while, you don't even notice anymore."
"I see." Verna could see that Warren was doing his best to avert his eyes. "Verna, what are you doing here?" Janet asked in a demure voice. Verna grinned and pinched Janet's cheek. "I came to get you out of here, silly. I came to rescue you. We're friends-did you think I'd leave you here?" Janet blinked in astonishment. "The Prelate let you come after me?" Verna lifted her hand, showing the woman the sunburst-patterned ring of the Prelate. "I am the Prelate."'s jaw fell open. She dropped to the floor and began kissing the hem of Verna's dress.gripped Janet's shoulder and urged her to her feet. "Stop that. There's no time for that."
"But-but, how? What happened? How can this be? What has happened?" "Verna, those webs won't hold for long," Warren cautioned in a thin whisper. "We've already overstayed our welcome."
"Janet, listen to me. We can talk later, after we get you out of here. The things we had to do to get in here only give us a brief time to get back out. It's dangerous for us to be here."
"I should say so," Janet said. "Prelate, you must-" "Verna. We're friends. It's still Verna."
"Verna, how in Creation did you ever get into Jagang's stronghold? You must get out at once. If you are found-"frowned and touched the ring through Janet's lower lip. "What's this?" Janet paled. "It marks me as one of Jagang's slaves." She started shivering. "Verna, save yourself. Get out of here. You must get out!" she whispered urgently. "I agree," Warren whispered through gritted teeth. "Let's go!" Verna pushed her cloak back over her shoulders, out of the way. "I know. Now that we've got you, we can go."
"Dear Creator, you have no idea how much I'd like to go with you, but if I did-you can't imagine what Jagang would do to me. Oh, dear Creator, you can't imagine."eyes flooded with tears at the very thought. Verna embraced her for a moment. "Janet, listen to me. I'm your friend, you know I wouldn't he to you." She waited until the other nodded. "There is a way to keep the dream walker from your mind."clutched Verna's dress at the shoulders. "Verna, don't torment me with hope that I know is false. You have no idea how much I'd like to believe you, but I know-"
"It's true. Listen to me, Janet. I'm the Prelate, now. Don't you think Jagang would take me if he could? Why do you think he hasn't taken the others? He can't, that's why."was shivering again, tears running down her cheeks. Warren put a hand to her back. "What Verna says is true. Sister Janet. Jagang can't get into our minds. Come with us, and you will be safe. Hurry." "How?" Janet whispered.leaned close. "You remember Richard?" "Of course. Trouble and wonder in one person." Verna smiled at the truth of that. "He has the gift, that's why I went after him, but there is more to it. He is born with both sides of it. More than that, though, he is a Rahl.
"Three thousand years ago, in the great war, Richard's ancestor created a magic to block the dream walkers of that time from his people's minds. That magic was passed down to his descendants who have the gift." Janet's fists tightened on Verna's dress. "How? How does it work?" Verna smiled. "It's so simple that it's hard to believe. The most powerful magic is sometimes like that. All that is necessary is to be sworn to him, in your heart, and his magic protects you from the dream walker. As long as Richard is alive and in this world, Jagang will never again be able to enter your mind." "I swear allegiance to Richard, and I'm free of Jagang?" Verna nodded at the woman's stunned face. "It's true." "What do I have to do?"held up a finger to forestall Warren's objections. She went to her knees, pulling Janet down with her.
"Say the words with me, and mean them in your heart. Richard is a war wizard, and leads us in our fight against Jagang. We believe in him. in his heart, with all our hearts. Say the words with me, and believe, and you will be free."nodded as she clasped her hands prayerfully. Tears coursed down her cheeks. Verna whispered the devotion, pausing so Janet could repeat the words after her.
"Master Rahl guide us. Master Rahl teach us. Master Rahl protect us. In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We live only to serve. Our lives are yours." Janet's whispered words echoed Verna's until she was finished. Verna kissed Janet's cheek. "You are free, my friend. Now hurry, let's get out of here."snatched Verna's sleeve. "What about the others?" Verna hesitated. "Janet, I would like nothing better than to rescue the rest of our Sisters, too, but I can't, not now. We will try to get them later. If we try now, Jagang will have us.
"I came to get you because you are my friend, and I love you. The five of us all swore to always protect each other. Phoebe is with us already. There is only you left.
"As much as I want to rescue the rest of our Sisters, it must be left until later. I promise you, I won't forget them, or leave them, but we can't do it all now, all at once."'s head lowered, and she stared at the floor. "Jagang killed Christabel. I saw him do it. Her screams still haunt my nightmares. Her screams, and Jagang."felt as if she had been punched in the gut. Christabel had been her best friend. She didn't want to know the details. Christabel had turned to the Keeper.
"That's why I have to get you out of here, Janet. My fear for you, and for what Jagang has done to you, haunts my nightmares."'s head came up. "What about Amelia? She was one of us five. We can't leave her."gave Janet a level look. "Amelia is a Sister of the Dark." "Was," Janet said. "No longer." "What?" Verna whispered. Warren leaned over. "Once you're sworn to the Keeper, you can't change your mind. You can't trust what she says, Sister Janet. Now, let's get out of here. She's sworn to the Keeper."shook her head. "No longer. Jagang sent her on some sort of mission, involving magic, and in order to accomplish her task, she was forced to betray the Keeper." "Impossible," Verna said.
"True," Janet insisted. "She's back. She has re-sworn her oath to the Creator. I've talked to her. She sits and weeps, kissing her ring finger half the night, praying to the Creator."leaned closer, looking into Janet's eyes. "Janet, listen to me. Have you seen her kiss her ring finger? Have you seen it with your own eyes? Are you absolutely sure she wasn't kissing another finger?"
"I've sat with her, trying to comfort her. I've watched her." Janet kissed her own finger with a whispered supplication that if she wasn't telling the truth she would be struck dead.
"Just like that? She kisses her finger just like that?"
"Yes. She kisses her finger and cries and prays that the Creator will kill her for the horror of what she has done." "What has she done?"
"I don't know. When I ask, she practically goes crazy with screaming and weeping. Jagang won't let her kill herself. He has control of her mind, as he does with the rest of us. He wouldn't let any of us kill ourselves; we must continue to serve him.
"Verna, we can't leave Amelia here. We have to take her with us. I won't leave her here. I'm the only comfort she has in this world. The things Jagang does to her…"turned away. Her stomach roiled at the thought of leaving Amelia if indeed she had abandoned the Keeper. The five of them had been best friends for close to one hundred fifty years, since they were young novices.life of a Sister of the Light was a difficult one. They had sworn oaths always to protect one another.
"Verna, she is one of us, a Sister of the Light, again. She is one of us five. Please, Verna, I'd rather stay with her than leave her here alone." Verna glanced back to Janet's haunted eyes.
"Verna, we must call him Excellency," Janet said in a shuddering whisper. "If we displease him for any reason at all, we have to serve a week in the tents."spoke Verna's name with rising inflection. Verna waved him to silence. "The tents? What are you saying?"'s eyes flooded with tears again. "He gives us to his soldiers for a week. We have gold rings, so they won't kill us, because those with gold rings belong to Jagang, but they can do whatever else they want. They pass us from tent to tent for a week. Even the old Sisters are sent to the tents. Jagang calls it a lesson in discipline that all must learn."fell to her knees, convulsing in sobs as she covered her mouth with both hands. Verna sank down beside her and hugged her.
"You don't know what Jagang's men do to us," Janet cried. "You don't know, Verna!"
"I understand," Verna whispered. "Hush now. It's all right, now. We'll get you away from here."shook her head against Verna's shoulder. "I won't leave Amelia here. I'm all she has. I'm a Sister of the Light. The Creator would never forgive me if I abandoned her. If I leave her. I'd be leaving my duty to the Creator. She's my friend. She came back to the Light. She came back to the Creator.
"Jagang sent her to the tents, again. If I'm not here when she comes back, she'll go crazy. No one else will tend to her. The Sisters of the Dark won't go near her. and the Sisters of the Light won't forgive her. I'm her only friend. I'm the only one who forgave her and accepted her back to the Light.
"She'll be a bloody mess when she gets back. You don't know what Jagang's men are like. Except for broken bones, Jagang won't allow us to use the gift to heal one another when we come back from the tents. He says it's part of the lesson, that our souls may belong to the Creator when we die, but in this life, Jagang owns our bodies.
"We can have our broken bones knitted by the gift when we come back. but until then, we have to suffer the agony of that along with everything else. If I'm not here, no one else will heal that much for her, or comfort her." Janet was nearly hysterical. "I won't leave without Amelia." Verna felt dizzy and sick to her stomach. Her heart pounded in terror. Bile rose into her throat.'s voice broke. "How do you endure it?"held her fists to her heart. "We are Sisters of the Light: we must endure for the Creator."shared a long look with Warren's troubled eyes. "Do you know where we can find her? Maybe we could go find her and take her with us."shook her head. "We're passed among the tents. She could be anywhere. The army is spread out for miles and miles in every direction.
"Not long ago, more captured women were sent back here. The screams are everywhere, so you can't simply follow the sounds of screams. Besides, if we went out among the tents, we wouldn't last five minutes before we were dragged into one of them."
"How long?" Verna asked. "How long until Amelia is back?" "Five days, but she won't be able to walk for at least a day after that, maybe two."held a tight grip on her rage. "There's nothing saying I can't use my gift to cure her once she's back."looked up. "That's true. Five days, then. Tomorrow night is the full moon. The fourth day after the full moon."
"Are you able to leave this place? In order to meet us? I don't think we can get back in here again."
"Not very far. I can't even imagine how you could have gotten in here." Verna showed the woman a tight smile. "I'm not Prelate for nothing. Warren helped, too. We'll come back, four nights after the full moon."
"Verna, there's one other thing. If Jagang can't enter my dreams, he will know something is wrong."pressed her hands to her face. "But you've already given the oath. You can't take it back, or it would mean nothing. You have already given your heart to Richard." "Then I'll have to be careful." "Can you do that? Can you get away with it?"touched her fingers to her lips. "What choice do I have? I'll have to." Verna held out her dacra. "Here. At least you can protect yourself." Janet pushed it away as if it were poison. "If I was caught with that thing, I'd be sent out to the tents for a year."
"Well, at least you can use your gift, now that Jagang can't enter your mind to prevent it."
"It won't do any good here. Jagang has total control over all those with the gift who are here-Sisters and wizards. It would be spitting into a storm to try to use my gift against them."
"I know. That's why we can't try to take the others right now. We'd never make it. The Sisters of the Dark would fight us, and with their use of Subtractive Magic, they would cut us to pieces." Verna pressed her lips together. "Janet, are you sure about this?"
"If I don't help a Sister in dire need, then what good is my oath as a Sister of the Light? One has come back to us from the Keeper; perhaps she can teach us how to bring the others back."had never thought of that. Warren was making impatient eye signals. She could see the muscles in his jaw flexing.saw, too. She gripped Verna by the shoulders and kissed her cheeks. She turned and hugged Warren.
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